Serum eosinophil cationic protein levels in Behçet's disease and its relation to clinical activity

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is a matrix protein of eosinophils and has been reported to reflect eosinophil activity. Few studies have examined the role of eosinophils in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the serum ECP levels in BD and its relation to clinical activity.

Forty-seven consecutive patients with BD (22 active, 25 inactive), 21 age and sex matched patients with allergic rhinitis and 21 healthy controls were evaluated cross-sectionally. The serum ECP levels were measured by the flourescein enzyme immunoassay method.

Mean serum ECP levels of active patients with BD (34.28 ± 23.43 μg/L) were found to be significantly lower than those of the inactive patients (65.69 ± 46.32 μg/L, p <0.05) and the controls (62.92 ± 30.49 μg/L, p <0.01) . Behçet patients with oral aphthous lesions had significantly lower mean serum ECP levels (n=21, 38.82 ± 33.38 μg/L) than those without aphthous lesions (n=26, 60.81 ± 43.21μg/L) (p = 0.041). Similarly patients with arthritis had lower serum ECP values (n=6, 22.12 ± 9.47 μg/L) than those without arthritis (n = 41, 55.21 ± 41.35 μg/L) (p =0.029).

Lower ECP levels in the active phase of the disease may be a result of decreased production due to the activation of Th1 cytokines.